


Shaped by Clearest Blue

by orphan_account



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-31 12:09:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12132192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Cora knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to kiss the girl’s stupid mouth and make sure she stayed quiet a while longer. Peebee was secretly urging Cora on in her mind. She wanted her to do it, to kiss her. The air around them was still sparking with biotic energy, flickering and crackling from their tension.





	Shaped by Clearest Blue

**Author's Note:**

> The title of the story is taken from the song 'Clearest Blue' by CHVRCHES, which I listened to while writing this. Upon searching for some Cora & Peebee fanfics and not being able to find any, I felt I had to rectify that so here’s a little something for the ship. Also, I know asari don’t have ‘eyebrows’ but if you see me type that anywhere, I’m referring to their eyebrow bone since it can still be used for expressions.

Ducking into cover to avoid the destructive red laser from another Observer, Ryder aimed her assault rifle over the top of the remnant wall, blind firing at the robotic figures, trying to spot where her two teammates were positioned. A powerful biotic explosion was triggered as Peebee and Cora timed their attacks together, the last few Remnant blasting to pieces.  
  
“Nice work.” Ryder complimented her friends with a grin, holding her side where a stitch was burning as she caught her breath back from the battle. She limped over to Cora who was dusting herself off after the fight.  
  
“You okay?” Cora asked, her usual observant nature spotting the pathfinder’s body language.  
  
“Yeah, I’m fine. Ready to get out of here?” The younger woman asked. Cora nodded, taking one last look around the Remnant structure they had found out on Elaaden.

The entrance to the vault had been well hidden between large sand dunes but after searching the area the team had finally located it, much to Peebee’s delight. It was not one of the planet’s monoliths but Ryder was interested in exploring the underground facility anyway in case they discovered new information on the Remnant or found something valuable they could make use of.

So far, the only notable discovery the team had made was an angry Destroyer that hadn’t been all too pleased with them for breaking and entering. The fight was long and hard...and the three women were exhausted.

“Come on.” Ryder sighed, turning on her heel to begin backtracking their steps to find the gravity well. Cora followed her, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Peebee was with them. She grinned and winked at Cora who rolled her eyes and faced forward again.  
  
“Oh, hey! Looks like there’s some remtech over there! Lemme just grab it real quick.” Ryder heard Peebee’s excited voice, causing her and Cora to stop walking and turn to see where she was running off to.

The young asari had started to rush down a side path towards a large container with a glyph flickering above it. In her eagerness to grab the contents of the chest, she failed to notice the three Nullifiers guarding it.  
  
“No, Peebee, wait!” Ryder shouted in a panic upon spotting the Remnant.

Peebee came stumbling to a halt, her eyes wide with fear as the Nullifiers saw her, looming above her, a deep, electronic rumble coming from them. She knew she needed to run, duck, dodge, fight...do _anything_ but her body was frozen in place from shock.

The Remnant stirred into action, aiming their targets at her, preparing to fire. All Peebee managed to do was squeeze her eyes shut and wrap her arms around her head in a feeble attempt to shield herself from the blasts.

Ryder was about to break into a run towards Peebee when a flash of deep blue energy shot past her. Within seconds, Cora had charged straight for the Nullifiers, appearing directly in front of Peebee. The biotic lifted her arms, a strained cry slipping from her lips as she used her last ounces of strength to form a barrier around herself and the shaken asari.

Peebee squeaked in surprise, her eyes shooting open from the sound of the biotic dome surrounding her, seeing Cora’s tense body shielding her from harm.  
  
“Go!” Cora managed to get out through clenched teeth, her arms trembling from the effort to maintain the protective sphere as the Nullifier blasts hit it. Peebee took one last glance of longing at the Remnant container before she jumped to her feet and made a run for it.  
  
“You good?” Ryder asked quickly as Peebee caught up to her, resting her hands on her knees, breathing heavily from exertion.  
  
“Yeah, I’m good...but what about-” She looked over her shoulder at Cora in time to see the powerful huntress detonate the biotic sphere, sparkling, pulsing energy bursting forth, stunning the Nullifiers long enough to give her time to run after them.

“Nevermind!” Peebee finished with raised eyebrows. Ryder moved to lift one of Cora’s arms over her shoulders when she was close enough, noticing how drained the blonde looked. Peebee quickly took her other arm and the three didn’t stop moving until they were safely out of the vault.

“Tempest we need immediate extraction, have the doctor on standby.” Ryder called down her comm channel, feeling the weight over her shoulder slacken.  
  
“Shit! Ryder, she passed out.” Peebee almost fell against the sand from the heavy weight suddenly against her as Cora’s legs gave out under her, her head lolling forwards as she slipped unconscious. Peebee looked nervously to Ryder as the two women carefully lay Cora against the sand.  
  
“She’s gonna be okay, right?” Peebee asked, her words coming out in an anxious rush.  
  
“She’ll be fine, don’t worry. I’m sure after some well deserved rest she’ll be back on her feet in no time.” Ryder reassured her friend, who was wearing a guilty expression.  
  
“You sound exactly like T’Perro. I think you’ve been spending too much time in medbay.” Peebee joked in an attempt to lift the mood.

“Maybe a little.” Ryder admitted, letting out an amused breath down her nose.

Peebee’s gaze remained on Cora’s face the entire time.

The woman looked terrible. Her complexion was ghostly white even under Elaaden’s heat. Her fringe was sticky with sweat against her forehead and her face was covered in dirt, dried blood and a large bruise on her cheekbone from their fight with the Destroyer. Peebee swallowed the lump in her throat, lifting a hand to her own lower cheek to wipe it, looking at the dirt on her palm. Obviously they were all a bit worse for wear without Peebee even realizing.  
  
Taking note of the way Peebee was staring intently at Cora, Ryder smirked.

“Something caught your eye?” She teased, watching with satisfaction as Peebee’s cheeks grew a dark shade of purple from a faint blush.  
  
“No! I was just thinking she looks really...innocent when she’s sleeping-well, okay, she’s not exactly _sleeping_ but whatever.” The asari rambled, throwing a glare in Ryder’s direction.  
  
“Alright, alright, you don’t have to give me that look! I’m just saying...she did just save your life. If this was a romantic movie you’d totally start falling for her now.” Ryder laughed and dodged the punch Peebee aimed at her arm.  
  
_“Two lonely adventurers who never knew each other in their old galaxy...discover a pure and beautiful love while exploring a new galaxy - together. Two become one...”_ Ryder said in a feigned lovey dovey voice.  
  
“Ryder, if you don’t wanna join Cora in the unconscious club I’d shut the hell up right about now.” Peebee growled in response but the blush on her face stayed strong.  


******

  
After a very long rest, Cora Harper finally returned to the realm of consciousness, her light brown eyes fluttering slowly open. She moved to sit up too quickly, feeling a guiding palm against her shoulder easing her back down against the medical bed she was lying on.  
  
“Not so fast, Lieutenant.” Lexi’s calm voice broke the silent hum of the Tempest in motion. Gathering her bearings, Cora’s gaze focused on the asari doctor as she tried to remember what happened.

 _Ah...the Remnant vault, nullifiers...Peebee.  
_  
“The others, are they alright?” Cora managed to mumble, attempting to sit up again, only much slower this time. Lexi’s hand dropped from Cora’s shoulder, allowing the woman to move.

“They’re both fine. They were a little tired but nothing a good rest couldn’t fix.” Lexi explained, taking note of how Cora’s priority was to check on her friends before she asked about her own condition - _as caring as always,_ Lexi thought to herself.  
  
“Look here.” She asked, making Cora follow her fingers to check her cognitive function.  
  
“How long was I out?” Cora asked, following the doctor’s fingers with her eyes.  
  
“Roughly ten hours.” Cora grunted in disapproval, earning a raised eyebrow from the doctor.  
  
“Considering your condition when you were brought to the medbay, ten hours is a rather impressive recovery time.” Lexi pointed out. She could tell that the woman was annoyed with herself for being out of action for so long. Cora said nothing but she looked down at the floor, clearly a bit embarrassed that Lexi had noticed how hard she was on herself - a force of habit.  
  
“Can you tell me what happened?” The doctor continued in an attempt to prompt Cora’s memory.

“One minute we were leaving the vault and then…” Cora frowned as she thought back. “Peebee was in danger and I moved to shield her with my biotics. I recall my muscles hurting severely. I told her to go...and then I don’t remember anything after that.” Lifting her arm slowly to rub her neck, Cora groaned where her muscles felt like rock beneath her fingers.

“Yes, the Pathfinder explained the situation when she and Peebee brought you to the medbay. She told me you used a biotic charge to reach Peebee while you were quite a distance away and that you created the protective sphere to stop three Nullifiers from attacking her. You held the barrier for her until she was at a safe distance, then detonated the sphere to allow yourself time to escape. It seemed you lost consciousness due to the strain on your body and mind.” Lexi explained, watching Cora carefully for any reactions.

Cora let out a sigh, closing her eyes as she continued to rub her sore neck.  
  
“That would explain why it feels like I’ve been hit by the Nomad a few times.” She joked dryly.  
  
“Quite. While you were resting I worked on easing some of the tightness in your muscles with some specialist medi-gel. I can apply some more if the muscle pain becomes unbearable but I would recommend allowing your body time to recover on its own.” Lexi paused.  
  
“Perhaps a massage would help, if you can find a volunteer.” She added. Cora chuckled.  
  
“Massages don’t fall under the role of medical officer, then?” She smiled, watching the corner of Lexi’s mouth twitch where she was resisting the urge to laugh.  
  
“I’m afraid my fingers are rather pointy. I think it would be more of a hindrance to your muscles than helpful. I am sure if you asked, Jaal would be happy to assist in my place.” Lexi finally smiled back at Cora who let out an amused sound, shaking her head.  
  
“I’m sure he would. Thank you for the help, doctor. I’ll report back to my duties.” Standing carefully from the bed, Cora gently rolled her shoulders back to loosen them, heading for the door.  
  
“Just doing my job. Oh, and Lieutenant?” Cora halted right as the door slid open. She looked back at Lexi, who met her gaze, her smile from before nowhere to be seen.  
  
“What you did was very dangerous. Pushing your biotics to their limit can leave permanent muscle damage and in some severe cases, brain damage due to the pressure on the brain and overloading of biotic implants.” Cora’s expression remained stoic as she listened to Lexi lightly scold her.  
  
“I’m aware that you acted on instinct to protect a teammate but however admirable that may be, in the future I would advise against taking similar action.” Lexi finished. Cora exhaled a deep breath.  
  
“Understood.” She replied, inclining her head before she left the medbay.  
  
_What was I supposed to do, just let her get hurt...maybe even killed? There was no time, I had to do something._ Cora thought to herself as she walked through the ship.

She could hear Ryder, Jaal, Drack and Peebee laughing and joking about something in the crew quarters. Nobody seemed to notice as she headed for the bio lab to check on her plants.

Inside the crew quarters, Peebee heard someone passing by. While her friends were busy laughing at Jaal’s terrible jokes, Peebee shifted forwards from where she was sitting cross legged on the floor to peek down the corridor. As she had suspected, she could see the back of Cora’s figure walking away.

Peebee smiled, happy to see the Lieutenant was finally awake. She’d been asking Ryder to ask Lexi to tell her about Cora’s condition almost every hour since the biotic was out of action. Eventually when Lexi grew suspicious of Ryder’s pestering and figured out what was going on, she had told Peebee off for avoiding her and said that ‘if she wanted to know about Lieutenant Harper’s condition, she should come and ask herself’.  
  
“I’ll be back later you guys, don’t get into any trouble without me!” Peebee declared, waving to the three of them before she stood up and dashed off down the corridor.

Just as Cora was about to open the door to the bio lab, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder; she resisted the urge to flinch.  
  
She had heard the clumsy footsteps following her for a few minutes but had decided to pretend they weren’t there and hope they’d go away. Turning quickly on her heel, Cora was almost nose to nose with Peebee, who had forgotten to stop walking now she had finally caught up.  
  
“Oh, sorry, hi...” She rambled awkwardly as Cora tried to side step to avoid a collision with the asari, catching Peebee’s arms to steady her and stop her running headfirst into her.  
  
“Hi, don’t worry...” Cora muttered back just as awkwardly, quickly dropping her hands away.  
  
“I just wanted to say thanks for helping me out back at the vault.” Peebee shrugged, trying to act casual, as if it was no big deal.

In reality, it meant a lot to her. Cora hadn’t even stopped to think about her own safety, she had acted on instinct to protect her comrade; even if they weren’t exactly friends, it was still selfless.

“You’re welcome. Next time just maybe think it through before running off on your own.” Cora sighed, turning to open the bio lab door. Peebee wrinkled her nose from the tiny lecture - it was expected from Cora, she was used to the Lieutenant’s uptight attitude by now.

“Yeah, yeah.” She waved it off. “Your biotics are pretty strong, you know. That was kind of impressive. Until you passed out.” Peebee tried to bite her tongue after saying ‘impressive’ but the rest had slipped out before she could control herself.

Cora felt her muscles somehow grow more tense from the reminder that she blacked out, her pride feeling wounded. She sucked in a calming breath, closing her eyes to keep a level head.  
  
“Thanks.” She managed to say, stepping slightly inside the lab, walking towards her plants. Peebee ignored the hints that Cora didn’t want to talk.  
  
“Shame about the remtech though, could have been some great stuff in there.” Cora stopped, her body becoming completely rigid. Peebee slowly tilted her head to one side, noticing the tension of her team mate.

“Are you kidding me?” Cora asked, turning on her heel to glare at Peebee who simply grinned at her and shrugged a second time.

“What? Oh relax, Matriarch. You’re always so damn serious.” Peebee wasn’t sure how she had gone from trying to say thank you to Cora to winding her up again. It seemed she just couldn’t help herself...pushing Cora’s buttons was a guilty pleasure.

“Or maybe _you’re_ not serious enough.” The Lieutenant retorted, taking a step towards Peebee. The asari was still wearing a wicked grin, which only seemed to grow in satisfaction from getting a rise out of Cora, especially when the powerful biotic was giving her such an intense death glare.

“Maybe it’s not your fault...maybe you just never learned how to have _fun_ from all those asari commandos you hung out with.”  Peebee teased with a smirk, raising her eyebrows as Cora let out a scoff of disbelief from Peebee's attitude, shaking her head.

“I know how to have fun. I just don’t prioritize it over the safety of my friends.” The blonde shot back. Peebee looked momentarily offended by the statement. Cora clenched her jaw, trying to ignore how good it felt to get a reaction in return for once.  
  
“Are we _friends_ now, Cora?” Peebee asked sarcastically in a sweet voice, making a kissy face at her, quickly masking her offense.

Cora could feel anger building inside, despite her aching muscles her clenched fists started to glow a biotic blue. Peebee could feel the crackle of energy in the air surrounding the blonde. She chewed on her lower lip, her green eyes trailing over Cora, admiring her rage-induced reaction.

“What are you trying to accomplish, Peebee?” Cora asked fiercely, feeling heat rise in her cheeks from being so evidently checked out by the asari.

“I’m trying to help you.” She said nonchalantly, feeling her body tingling from the growing energy around Cora.  
  
“Help me do what?” Cora asked with a frown. Peebee paused for dramatic effect before she leaned closer to the blonde.  
  
“Remove the stick from up your ass.” She murmured softly with a wink.

As quick as a flash, Cora’s entire body lit up blue as she biotically charged at the other woman, pinning her against one of the research lab terminals, their faces inches apart.

Peebee let out an ‘oof’ sound as she hit the terminal. Her face was alight with an excited grin; she felt a tingle ignite elsewhere from Cora’s warm, heavy breaths against her mouth.

The asari let out a laugh from Cora’s lack of control, her eyes wide with desire and a tiny hint of fear; she knew the extent of Cora’s power, she had _seen_ it.

“Now _this_ is what I’m talking about…” Peebee whispered, her heart racing from their close proximity.

Cora ignored her remark, pressing her body harder against Peebee to shut her up. It worked like a charm. She heard the girl’s breathing hitch in her throat, a tiny, high-pitched ‘ah’ slipping free from being pushed so firmly against the terminal. Cora watched her shift underneath her, her eyelids half closed.  
  
_She’s enjoying this…_ The blonde thought, her palms resting either side of Peebee’s hips, fingers pressed firmly against the round, research desk. Cora could see the different emotions behind Peebee’s gaze, which was locked firmly on hers. The blonde’s eyeline dropped slowly to the asari’s mouth; her lips were slightly parted where she was lightly panting with anticipation.

Cora knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to kiss the girl’s stupid mouth and make sure she stayed quiet a while longer. Peebee was secretly urging Cora on in her mind. She wanted her to do it, to kiss her. The air around them was still sparking with biotic energy, flickering and crackling from their tension.  
  
The blonde leaned in...they were _so_ close...  
  
“Has anyone ever told you you’re kinda sexy when you're angry?” Peebee murmured against her lips.

Cora came crashing back down to reality, broken out of her trance as she realized what she was about to do. As usual, the asari’s big mouth had irritated her.

Before their lips could touch fully, she pushed her hands backwards off the desk, stepping away from Peebee, who pouted in disappointment from the sudden lack of Cora against her. Cora couldn’t stop herself from glaring at the girl.  
  
“Fuck you.” She breathed out, trying to steady her emotions.  
  
“That can be arranged.” Peebee purred, giving Cora a suggestive wink. Cora felt her face flush with heat, her cheeks pink with embarrassment from the flirtatious counter.  
  
“I’m done.” She lifted her hands up, turning on her heel to storm inside the bio lab.  
  
“What’s the matter? Can’t finish what you started?!” Peebee called after her with a cocky grin.

She felt like she was on a high from what just happened. She turned to run down the corridor, doing a little skip and jump combination as she made her way to her escape pod.

Cora almost _kissed_ her! Did the blonde feel something between them? What if the tension they shared had just been chemistry this whole time?  
  
Once she arrived at the escape pod, Peebee opened the door, diving inside, turning off the gravity. As she felt her body begin to float, she closed her eyes, her mind racing with questions and thoughts.

She knew she found Cora attractive - she had figured that out almost immediately upon meeting the woman. Her features were both cute and sexy somehow and her stupid human hair looked so pretty on her. Even though she hadn’t seen it much, the tiny glimpses she had managed to catch of Cora’s smile were amazing...and her voice was kinda hot too…not to mention even with the stick up her ass, she was always so caring towards the rest of the team…  
  
Peebee felt her heart thumping firmly against her chest as she imagined Cora smiling at her.

“Ah crap.” She groaned.  


******

  
A few days later, Ryder had dismissed the team to enjoy some downtime while Kallo piloted them back to the Nexus.

Vetra had eventually given in to the pleas of a desperate Peebee, who had begged her to help steal some of Liam’s ‘secret’ stash of beers. The asari had told Vetra she owed her one, before heaving the crate in her arms off to the meeting room where she hoped nobody would find her.

An hour later, the young asari was sitting with her head resting back against the meeting room desk, a collection of empty beer bottles strewn across the floor next to her. She was mumbling to herself, a half-finished bottle clutched in one hand.

Lexi was making her way to the meeting room to fetch a datapad she had left there. She came to a halt upon hearing someone muttering about ‘pretty girls and remtech’.  
  
“Peebee?” She called questioningly, seeing a blue hand dart out and wave at her from the other side of the room. Lexi followed the hand around the circular shaped desk until she found the younger asari.  
  
“Ugh...it’s _you_.” Peebee slurred out, hiccuping loudly which made her giggle.

“Are you drunk?” Lexi asked incredulously, staring at the numerous bottles surrounding Peebee.  
  
“No, I am not brunk, you ditch.” She waved her beer bottle threateningly at Lexi, sloshing some of the liquid over herself. “How dare you question me! ME, the Remnant Master of Andromeda!” She yelled out. Lexi brought a hand to her face and let out a long sigh.

“Come on, that’s enough. You need to sleep it off.” She offered her hand to Peebee who stuck her tongue out in a raspberry, pushing Lexi’s hand away.  
  
“You’re not my mom, go away.” She continued to exclaim loudly, unaware of how noisy she was being. Beneath the meeting room, Cora was leaving the bio lab and heard the commotion.

“Pelessaria stop being such a child and stand up!” Lexi scolded with irritation, her own voice raised slightly.

“Nooo...my true identity is revealed! Now everyone will know who the Remnant Master is. It’s all your fault.” She started to sob dramatically.  
  
“I can’t bloody deal with this.” Lexi muttered to herself in exasperation.

“Want some help?” Cora asked, trying to hold back her amusement. After hearing the not so subtle exchange, she decided to see what was going on in case the doctor’s patience finally snapped.  
  
“Peebee’s drunk and she’s refusing to let me help her. Maybe she’ll listen to you...you seem to handle her quite well.” Lexi sighed. Cora cleared her throat. _No comment…_ She thought to herself.  
  
“Don’t worry Lexi, go and relax. I’ll deal with Peebee.” The doctor gave her a thankful smile, hurrying off with the datapad in her hand. Cora tilted her head to look around the corner, glancing down at Peebee’s sorry figure sprawled out on the floor.

Peebee was pouting, her eyes watery from the sobs. She looked up at Cora with sad, green, puppy eyes and the blonde felt her heart miss a beat from how cute and helpless she looked.  
  
“It’s my hero.” Peebee mumbled quietly. Cora tried not to laugh as she bent down next to Peebee, her gaze shifting to the bottles around her. She was _definitely_ drunk.  
  
“I thought you were the hero around these parts, Remnant Master.” She teased softly. Peebee’s eyes widened and she sat up with renewed energy.  
  
“You know that I’m the Remnant Master?” She asked in surprise. Cora bit the inside of her cheek to contain the chuckle trying to escape.  
  
“That’s right.” She confirmed gently. “I’m quite a fan.” She added. Peebee smiled proudly.  
  
“Oh yeah? Well, aren’t I lucky having such a gorgeous number one fan?” She flirted, her words slurring slightly. Cora shook her head, ignoring the sensation of a blush forming on her cheeks.  
  
“Let’s go for a walk.” The blonde offered her hand. Peebee eagerly reached for it, almost falling over one of the bottles as she stood up.  
  
She squealed in a panic as she lost her balance. Cora grabbed her to hold her upright, a small chuckle escaping before she could hold it back this time.  
  
“You okay?” She asked between a few more breathy laughs. Peebee’s face went purple, her cheeks glowing brightly from her embarrassment.  
  
“That was scary...but you saved me.” Peebee mumbled, her blush deepening from the lovely sound of Cora’s laughs.  
  
“That’s twice now.” Cora teased, slipping Peebee’s arm through her own, starting to slowly guide her to the ramp down to the research lab.

For a while they were quiet as they walked. Cora took a glance in Peebee’s direction, catching the asari staring at her. When their eyes met, Peebee tore her gaze away quickly. She was surprisingly shy when she was drunk, Cora thought.  
  
“You’re really pretty.” Peebee babbled suddenly. Cora smiled at her and Peebee couldn’t stop staring this time, even if she wanted to. “Wow…” She whispered. Cora bit her lip, ignoring her pounding heart, leading Peebee towards the crew quarters.  
  
“Which one is your bed?” Cora asked quietly. Peebee gasped.  
  
“Lieutenant Harper! Take me to dinner first, then I’ll show you which one’s my bed.” She giggled, leaning into the blonde. Cora couldn’t help but let out an amused breath.  
  
“You’re quite something, Peebee, I’ll give you that.” She murmured, more to herself than the asari, who was grinning at her. This one was nothing like the cocky grins from a few days ago during their confrontation.

Cora wondered what was wrong with her...she kept thinking Peebee could be sort of adorable when she wanted to be.

“Cora…” Peebee mumbled bringing the huntress back from the thoughts she was lost in. “That one.” She pointed at one of the top bunks with a shaky finger. Cora looked at it before frowning.  
  
“I don’t think sleeping on the top bunk is a good idea right now.” She muttered, getting visions of herself trying to force a giggling Peebee up the ladder.  
  
“You can have mine.” Cora pulled her carefully towards her own bunk bed, opposite Peebee’s. The asari had gone very quiet and her face was still burning purple as Cora sat her down gently on the bottom bunk.  
  
“I’m in your bed.” Peebee announced, trying to wink at Cora but forgetting how to do it. She frowned, blinking with one eye then the other. Cora shook her head, chuckling again.  
  
“Yes, you’re in my bed. Try to get some sleep now, alright? You’ll feel better if you do.” She said calmly.  
  
“But I’m too warm! Help me?” Peebee pouted, shifting nervously on the bed, motioning to her jacket. Cora rose her eyebrows from the innocent expression on the asari’s face. She sighed and rolled her eyes - those damn puppy eyes seemed to work like magic on her.

She made a mental reminder to herself to make sure Peebee never found out about that - she knew the naughty asari would definitely use it to her advantage far too often.  
  
“Alright, fine.” Cora crouched opposite Peebee, lifting her fingers to unzip the girl’s purple jacket, trying not to think about how it must have looked to anyone who saw them. Peebee was staring at her again, she could feel the girl’s eyes on her.  
  
While she finished unzipping the jacket, she felt a small hand petting her hair. Looking up in surprise, she saw Peebee’s arm outstretched, her fingers laced gently into her blonde strands.  
  
“So soft.” The asari gave a dopey smile. Cora looked away, smiling to herself. She let Peebee continue to stroke her hair while she pulled the jacket off her shoulders, guiding her arms through it until they managed to get it off.

“Here, I’ll give you some medi-gel, it should help your system deal with the alcohol.” Cora’s omni-tool lit up as she administered the medi-gel, watching Peebee yawn and let out a long sigh.  
  
“Now rest.” Cora stood up, turning to leave. Peebee grabbed onto her arm.  
  
“Wait.” The blonde looked back at her for a moment.

Peebee stood up from the bed and closed the distance between them before Cora had time to realize what was happening. One of the asari’s arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer while the other held the side of her face. Cora let out a sound of surprise as warm, blue lips met her own in a sudden kiss.  
  
Peebee’s eyes were closed, her tongue running gently over Cora’s lower lip. The blonde felt her eyelids grow heavy from the soft mouth caressing her own so invitingly.

 _Resist...pull away...she’s drunk!_ Cora’s mind protested but her body wasn’t paying attention.

She finally closed her eyes, returning the kiss gently, her hands resting against Peebee’s shoulders. When she felt Peebee’s tongue press eagerly against her mouth she knew she should have broken the kiss...but she didn’t. Her lips parted, allowing the asari entrance, shivering as their tongues met and languidly began to slide over each other.  
  
Peebee let out a soft moan, causing Cora to squeeze down against her shoulders. After a minute, they broke apart to breathe. Cora inhaled deeply, her cheeks flushed.  
  
“Holy crap.” Peebee whispered.  
  
“I...I should go, and you should rest.” Cora muttered in embarrassment.  
  
“Can I have one more?” Peebee asked eagerly with her usual cheeky grin back in place. Cora rolled her eyes.  
  
“No.” The blonde said bluntly, her mouth curving to the side as she resisted smiling.  
  
“Aw...so mean.” Peebee teased with a laugh, flopping back down against Cora’s bed, getting comfortable.  
  
“Goodnight, Peebee.” Cora lifted her hand in farewell, finally allowing a small smile to appear across her features. Peebee smiled back and snuggled into Cora’s bed.  
  
“Night, Cora.” She murmured, watching the Lieutenant walking away. She quickly drifted to sleep with the huntress’s scent surrounding her from her pillow.  


******  


Ten hours later, Pelessaria B’Sayle returned to the realm of consciousness. With a tired groan she opened her eyes slowly, squinting from the Tempest’s daytime lights. A slightly unfamiliar but pleasant scent filled her senses as she tried to figure out where she was.

 _I’m in Cora’s bed._ She thought to herself as memories of the previous night started to flood back into her mind. It was Cora’s perfume mixed with her natural scent, that’s what she was smelling. She saw the blonde crouching next to her, amusement sparkling behind her eyes...and then she saw them wide with surprise as their lips met.  
  
“I kissed Cora.” Peebee mumbled out loud as she finally woke up properly.

“Shit! I kissed Cora!” She sat bolt upright, forgetting she was in a bottom bunk, whacking her head on the bed frame above her with a painful yelp. She grabbed the back of her head, rubbing the spot she had smacked.  
  
“Peebee? Are you alright?” Jaal’s voice came from the other end of the crew quarters.  
  
“I’m great, Jaal...thanks for asking.” She replied, falling face first against Cora’s pillow with a muffled sigh.

All morning Peebee tried to avoid the Lieutenant, who seemed to have decided to do the same with the Remnant expert. Ryder took Peebee on an away mission, a distraction she was thankful for. Cora was thankful too, it gave her time to think about everything that had happened recently.  
  
“Jaal? Do you have a minute?” Cora stood nervously in the doorway of the tech lab that same afternoon, rubbing her hands together as she tried to gather her thoughts.  
  
“Yes, of course. One moment.” Jaal finished what he was working on, turning to give Cora all of his attention with a welcome smile.  
  
“How can I help?” He asked politely. Cora sighed. His smile faltered, turning into a frown of concern. “Something is bothering you...weighing heavy on your heart.” It wasn’t a question but an observation.  
  
“Yes.” Cora nodded, impressed by Jaal’s intuitive words, as always.

“I…” Cora hesitated, staring at the floor, terrified of what she was about to admit. “I think I’m developing feelings for someone.” Jaal’s expression softened.  
  
“Ah, so it is love weighing heavy on your heart. That explains it.” He said calmly. Cora felt her cheeks flush pink.  
  
“I didn’t say anything about love!” She argued sharply, hiding her face in her hands with a sigh. “Sorry…” She added a moment later, dropping her hands away. Jaal smiled patiently.  
  
“It’s okay.” He touched her shoulder to urge her to look at him.  
  
“Tell me about these feelings. Why are you conflicted about them?”  He inquired. Cora thought about it for a while. Jaal kept quiet the entire time, giving her space, allowing her to find the words she was searching for.  
  
“I’m conflicted because...sometimes I don’t get on with the person in question, we disagree on a lot of things. They can be immature and reckless.” She sighed, thinking back to the Remnant vault, the image of Peebee running off down the corridor, straight into danger returning to her mind.

“I see.” Jaal said, waiting for Cora to continue.  
  
“But...they’re also very creative and fun to be around. We’re like polar opposites, really.” Cora admitted quietly, reminded of the apparent stick up her ass, from Peebee’s own words.  
  
“You know, Cora...in some Angaran relationships it is common for very different Angara to become partners. Their differences compliment each other and can make up for what the other lacks. Although difficult at first, once relationships of that nature develop and truly understand each other...they are often everlasting. Our differences make us stronger when we are together.” Jaal expressed his view on the subject with a warm smile.  
  
Cora stared at him, blinking slowly as she took in everything he had said. Of course! It was so obvious now...it made sense. She just needed someone to show her that perspective.  
  
“Thank you, Jaal. You’re right.” She smiled, a weight lifting from her shoulders.  
  
“I wish you luck with her.” He said sincerely. Cora said goodbye, turning to the door before she hesitated, her heart almost stopping.  
  
“Jaal?” She said suspiciously, looking back to catch his eye. He smiled all-knowingly.  
  
“Yes?” He asked innocently. She had a feeling that somehow he knew she had been talking about Peebee.  
  
“Nothing.” She smiled at him, trusting he wouldn’t tell anyone, waving goodbye as she headed towards the bridge.

On her way there, Cora was trying to decide what she would say to Peebee. First she would ask if she was feeling better...then what? Asking her out to dinner felt too formal...exploring a Remnant vault was probably more Peebee’s style but it could be dangerous and wasn’t exactly the kind of atmosphere she was going for.  
  
Lost in her thoughts with a frown of concentration, Cora walked across the corridor leading to the bridge - straight into the woman she was looking for, who was walking the other way, her arms filled with datapads. As the two collided the datapads flew everywhere.  
  
“Crap, sorry, I didn’t see you.” Peebee quickly fell to her knees, rushing to grab all of the datapads, trying to tell herself to stay calm and act casual. Cora bent down to assist her.  
  
“No, you’re fine, I wasn’t paying attention either, I’m equally at fault for this.” The huntress admitted, grabbing the last datapad. They stood up in unison. Peebee smiled nervously as Cora handed her the datapads.  
  
“Thanks.” She muttered quietly, staring down at them. “So…” She started to say.

“So…” Cora had started to speak at the same time.

She let out an amused breath down her nose from how awkward they were both acting. Peebee shuffled her feet, feeling nervous energy building inside her.  
  
“You go first.” Peebee said.

“Are you feeling better?” Cora finally asked once she had managed to gather her thoughts.  
  
“Yep, all better.” Peebee confirmed, walking down the bridge slowly, hoping Cora would follow her. She was relieved to see the Lieutenant did, in fact, follow. 

“Why did you want to get so drunk anyway?” Unable to stop her curiosity, the question had slipped out before Cora could help it. She wondered if that was how Peebee always felt when she’d accidentally say something.  
  
Peebee headed up to the meeting room, piling the datapads where Ryder had told her to chuck them temporarily. Cora had followed her all the way up the ramp. She could tell the asari was a bit embarrassed by the question, trying to decide if she should avoid it or not. 

“Uhh...okay, how about a question for a question?” Peebee suggested with a smile. Cora rose her eyebrows with interest.  
  
“Fine.” She accepted the terms.  
  
“You have to answer first.” Peebee added quickly. Cora’s eyebrows remained risen as she shook her head but smirked.  
  
“Seems fair.” She said sarcastically, crossing her arms. “Alright.”  
  
“Why were you so nice to me yesterday?” The asari asked in a rush, as if she was trying to get it over with. Cora stared at her in surprise, having not expected that to be her question. She frowned in thought, trying to find the honest answer.  
  
“I was nice to you because I was concerned and wanted to make sure you were alright.” Cora said with sincerity. “Okay, your turn to answer.” She added, watching with slight amusement as Peebee shifted her weight from one foot to the other.  
  
“Well...um...I got drunk because I was sad.” She finally admitted, avoiding Cora’s gaze. The huntress frowned, noticing the way Peebee refused to look at her.  
  
“Why were you sad?” Cora asked in a softer tone than usual. She couldn’t imagine the excitable asari being sad...just thinking about it made the blonde’s heart tighten uncomfortably.  
  
“That’s two questions.” Peebee pointed out.  
  
“Peebee…” Cora said in a warning tone, giving her an almost stern look.  
  
“Ugh, fine! I was sad because I thought you hated me, okay?” Peebee said, barely able to stand still, her gaze focusing on the wall of the ship.

“What?” Cora stared at her in disbelief. Peebee’s head dropped as she stared hard at the floor instead of the wall. She was messing with her wrists nervously.  
  
_I had no idea you cared so much about what I think of you._ Cora thought to herself. _  
_  
“Peebee...I don’t...I don’t hate you.” Cora said gently, lifting her hand to rub the back of her neck. For the first time since they bumped into each other, Peebee finally looked at the huntress.

“You don’t?” She repeated in an unusually quiet voice. Cora met her gaze and smiled.  
  
“No, I don’t. Sometimes you drive me _crazy_ ...but I don’t hate you. Not at all.” She affirmed with a confident nod, to prove she was sure of her answer. Peebee’s body language seemed to relax immediately. She almost said ‘phew’ but managed to hold it in, a wide grin spreading across her face instead.  
  
“Good to know!” She said cheerily. “I, um, I don’t hate you either, by the way.” Peebee added. Cora chuckled.  
  
“Good to know.” Cora echoed with a smile, heading down the ramp. Peebee quickly followed her, much to the blonde’s amusement. 

“Since you got two questions I have another one!” She said hurriedly to stop the conversation from ending. As they walked towards the research lab where they had their confrontation a few days ago, Cora turned to give Peebee her full attention again, waiting for the question.  
  
“Why did you kiss me?” Peebee blurted out. Cora felt her face growing warm.  
  
_There it is. I knew we couldn’t avoid this subject forever._ She thought.  
  
“You kissed me first.” She said simply, her expression unreadable. Peebee rose her eyebrows.  
  
“You kissed me _back_ .” The remtech expert argued.  
  
“You were drunk!” Cora could feel the heat radiating off her red face.  
  
“Was I?” Peebee gave her a sly grin that made Cora’s stomach do a strange backflip.  
  
“I know that look… Explain.” Cora demanded, waiting for Peebee to elaborate.  
  
“The effect of the medi-gel you gave to me last night was immediate. I wasn’t drunk when I kissed you.” She shrugged casually. Cora couldn’t help but smile, shaking her head. Peebee really _was_ quite something.  
  
“I should have known from how expertly you kissed me that you weren’t drunk anymore.” Cora sighed, facepalming as she thought back to the kiss. It hadn’t been sloppy at all...it had a measure of control that a drunk person would have lacked.

“Expertly, huh?” Peebee winked, feeling proud from the accidental compliment.  
  
“Oh, shut up.” Cora shoved her in the arm gently, making the asari laugh. The blonde couldn’t help but think how cute she sounded when she laughed like that.  
  
“I’m just messing with you, Matriarch.” She gave her signature grin to Cora.  
  
“I noticed. You seem to like doing that.” Cora smirked.

Peebee laughed again, this time a little nervously. A comfortable silence fell between them. Cora looked down at the floor, her hands resting against the research lab. Peebee was chewing on her lip, looking like she was having an internal debate. Eventually, she broke the silence.  
  
“I need to thank you. For last night.” She said with a determined look. Cora met her gaze.  
  
“No, you don’t.” The huntress said.  
  
“Yes, I _do_ . I was a jerk to you the other day even after you saved my life...and you still made sure I was okay yesterday. You didn’t have to do that.” Peebee’s expression was serious, her green eyes focused on Cora.  
  
“I know I didn’t have to...I _wanted_ to.” She explained. Peebee’s expression relaxed into an appreciative smile.  
  
“I’d still like to thank you. Let me return the favour.” She insisted.  
  
“You really don’t have to, Peebee.” Cora could tell she wasn’t going to win this one.

“Please? You took care of me...now let me take care of you.” Peebee’s voice was softer now as she took a step closer to Cora.

Cora wasn’t stupid, she understood what Peebee was suggesting. The asari’s eyes conveyed a new level of trust between them...and desire, as clear as the blue sky on a hot Summer’s day back on Earth.  
  
The thought of being intimate with Peebee made Cora’s face turn red again. She swallowed the dry sensation in her throat, feeling her palms start to sweat and her heart beat rapidly against her ribcage. She suddenly felt a combination of both nerves and excitement rise inside her chest.  
  
“Well, Doctor T’Perro did recommend that...that I ask someone for a massage, to help relax my muscles. Maybe you could, uh, do that...for me.” Cora feigned ignorance to Peebee’s offer for something _else_ . The asari smiled a bit from the huntress’s seemingly innocent interpretation.  
  
“Not exactly what I was offering...but sure, I give great massages.” Peebee shrugged, acting as if she didn’t know Cora had pretended to misinterpret her offer.  
  
“Really?” Cora rose an eyebrow, sounding surprised. Peebee tilted her head as the blonde caught her gaze.  
  
“Yep.” She confirmed with a smile.  
  
“I didn’t expect that.” Cora admitted. Peebee was quite a mystery, really.  
  
“Well, what can I say...I’m good with my hands.” She flirted smoothly, winking at Cora. The huntress let out a slight laugh, lifting her hand to her face.  
  
“Come on.” Peebee took her hand, pulling her along the corridor.  
  
“What, now?” Cora asked in astonishment. Peebee looked over her shoulder at her, giggling from the blonde’s uncertainty. It was sweet seeing the side of Cora that wasn’t so self-assured. Peebee found her faltering confidence endearing.  
  
“Yeah! Why _not_ now? Do you have a date, Lieutenant Harper?” She teased. Cora let out an amused breath.  
  
“Not yet.” She countered smoothly, enjoying seeing Peebee’s face grow warm from a blush for once.

Eventually they made it to the crew quarters. Looking around to make sure that nobody was nearby, Peebee took Cora by the shoulders, pushing her towards her bed, making her sit down on it.  
  
“Peebee, what if someone sees us?” Cora murmured quietly. Peebee grinned.  
  
“Sees our perfectly innocent massage, you mean?” She said casually, doing her best puppy dog eyes. Cora cursed under her breath.  
  
“Sometimes you’re too smart for your own good, you troublemaker.” The blonde complained.  
  
“I know.” Peebee said cheerfully. “Now, relax...let’s work on that tension.”

Within fifteen minutes, Peebee’s hands had managed to work Cora into a state of bliss.

The blonde was breathing heavier, her eyelids hooded, feeling the asari’s nimble fingers pressing down against her shoulder muscles. A soft moan rose in her throat when Peebee rolled her thumbs against a particularly tight spot. Peebee could feel herself blushing from Cora’s reactions. She bit her lip, trying to focus on helping the huntress.  
  
“How does that feel?” She asked carefully, her hands slowly sliding lower down to press against Cora’s back, beneath her shoulder blades.  
  
“Amazing…” Cora whispered, her voice thick with pleasure. Peebee bit her lip harder.  
  
“Peebee?” Cora said softly. The remtech expert could feel her hands trembling.  
  
“Yeah?” She replied quietly, trying to keep her voice steady.  
  
“I want you.” Cora admitted in a low tone.

She turned to face the young asari. When their eyes met Peebee inhaled sharply. The desire was evident behind Cora’s pretty, light brown eyes; her expression of longing was beyond beautiful. For the first time, Peebee was speechless. Her gaze darted anxiously from Cora’s face to the bed they were sitting on and back to Cora again. Cora gave her a reassuring smile.  
  
“You don’t have to be nervous.” Cora said gently, lifting her hand to rest her palm against Peebee’s face. The asari closed her eyes, leaning her cheek against Cora’s touch.  
  
“Yeah, I kinda do.” Peebee murmured, her eyes still closed. Cora felt her heart race. She leaned closer, pressing her lips to the other woman’s softly.

Peebee reacted to the kiss almost immediately, her arms rose to wrap around Cora’s neck, pulling her closer. Cora’s hand slipped from Peebee’s face so that her own arms could envelop the asari’s small waist. She tugged the girl into her lap; Peebee eagerly straddled Cora’s thighs, her mouth opening to allow the blonde’s tongue to meet her own.

An appreciative moan slipped from the asari; she shivered, her hands resting against Cora’s shoulders. Their kisses grew harder, more urgent until Peebee was breaking away to catch her breath, their noses touching.  
  
Without needing to say a word, Cora understood what Peebee wanted, leaning back slightly, she lifted her arms. Peebee smirked, sliding her hands underneath the blonde’s top. She was about to remove it but instead let out a surprised gasp as her fingers danced over Cora’s stomach.  
  
“Oh my god…” She practically moaned from the muscle tone under her palms. “That is so hot.” She admitted, her face flushed purple. Cora let out a little laugh from Peebee’s reaction.  
  
“I’m happy you approve.” She said, her breathing quickening from the way Peebee was caressing her stomach.  
  
“Damn right I approve.” Peebee whispered, starting to push Cora’s shirt up. The blonde allowed Peebee to pull the garment over her head, chuckling as she threw it carelessly across the room.  
  
“Goddess, Cora...you’re _so_ sexy.” Peebee was entranced by the huntress’s now exposed body, her green eyes roaming over her toned abs - they were not too harsh but not too subtle.

“Mm. I like it when you say that.” Cora murmured, watching Peebee’s reactions to her figure with a proud smile.  
  
“Say what, goddess?” Peebee asked with a playful grin, catching the blonde’s gaze.  
  
“Yes.” Cora said through clenched teeth as she tried to keep control of her desire for the other woman. “I’d like to hear you moaning it.” She added in a matter-of-fact tone, her hands working to remove the young asari’s clothes.  
  
“Oh don’t worry, you will.” Peebee smirked from the blonde’s impatience.  


******  


“Fuck...you’ve _definitely_ done this before.” Peebee panted out heavily, her head tilted backwards, a loud moan escaping from her lips. Cora could only smirk against the asari’s core, her hands squeezing her thighs tightly, holding her in place.

Peebee’s hips were rocking in a steady rhythm above the huntress, riding her face with a growing desperation. Her hands were gripping the metal poles of the bed frame of the top bunk above her, supporting her weight, making it easier to grind against Cora’s skillful tongue. She was dripping with sweat from the exertion, her blue skin hot to the touch.

“Ah!” She squeaked in surprise from the hand that was suddenly accompanying Cora’s mouth. She could feel the blonde’s fingers working their way inside, her tongue flicking expertly over her little bundle of nerves that felt like they were going into overdrive.  
  
“T-That’s it...just like that.” Peebee urged Cora on, a throaty moan following her encouragement from the sensation of the huntress’s digits thrusting in and out of her combined with her warm tongue still working hard.  
  
“ _Goddess_ , I’m close!” Peebee whimpered, a strong heat building in the pit of her stomach. Cora felt a throb of her own arousal from Peebee’s sensual sounds. With one hand still clutching Peebee’s thigh, Cora slid her fingers in deeper and sucked on the asari’s pleasure point.

It was too much. Peebee came, hard, crying out Cora’s name passionately. After riding out the orgasm, she collapsed to the side, almost falling off the bed. Cora caught her quickly, pulling her close, letting out a soft laugh, wiping her mouth clean with her hand.

“You taste great.” Cora whispered into Peebee’s ear, earning a deep blush and an embarrassed laugh from her new lover.  
  
“Wanna go again?” Cora added with a playful grin.  
  
“What do you think?” Peebee teased. “But it’s _my_ turn this time, Lieutenant Harper.” She murmured seductively, leaning down to give the blonde a searing hot kiss.  


*****

“This is nice.” Lexi let out a content sigh, snuggling against Ryder’s arms as they lay against the bed in the Pathfinder’s quarters in their pyjamas, their attention on the screen opposite them. They were watching one of Ryder’s very old Planet Earth documentaries she brought with her from the Milky Way. 

Lexi had decided she loved emperor penguins since the couple had started watching the documentaries together. The doctor sipped her tea - another luxury Ryder had managed to sneak over from their old galaxy - resting her head against her partner’s shoulder.  
  
“Hm.” Lexi frowned. She could hear something in the room, it sounded like static coming from somewhere.  
  
“What _is_ that?” Lexi asked after a few more minutes of hearing the strange noise, finding she couldn’t block it out while trying to listen to the program.  
  
“I don’t hear anything.” Ryder said drowsily, almost drifting off to sleep.  
  
“There it is again, listen.” Lexi shoved Ryder awake. She sat up, frowning as she concentrated on listening. The static crackle went off again.  
  
“I think it’s my omni-tool. SAM, can you clear this up? I think it’s a comm channel request, might be something important.”  
  
“Yes, pathfinder.” SAM replied, opening the channel, fixing the feedback.  
  
“Fuck, yes!” They heard Peebee gasp on the other end of the now open channel. Ryder bit her lip to stop herself laughing from the look of pure horror on Lexi’s face as it dawned on both of them what they were listening to.  
  
“You’re _so_ goddamn hot, B’Sayle.” Came a second voice. Ryder’s mouth fell open in surprise. Lexi felt her cheeks turn a deep shade of blue, recognizing the owner of the second voice to be Cora Harper.  
  
“Oh my god…” Lexi murmured in embarrassment, hiding her face in her hands. Ryder snort laughed before she could stop herself.

This was going to be awkward...and hilarious.

Clearing her throat, Ryder hit the button on her omni-tool so she could respond to the channel.

“Hey, you two lovebirds!” She shouted out, trying not to laugh from the sudden scream of surprise from Peebee. She heard a hurried conversation between the two women.  
  
“Is that Ryder? W-What the hell?” Peebee panted.  
  
“Shit...shit.” Cora breathed heavily.  
  
There was some static as the two tried desperately to get themselves under control on the other line and calm their breathing. After some sounds of movement, it went unnaturally quiet.  
  
“Yep, what’s up?” Peebee asked casually. Ryder nearly fell off the bed from silent laughing, tears in her eyes. Lexi was shaking her head and spoke up in her partner’s place.  
  
“Can you turn off the comm channel on your omni-tool, please?” Lexi asked as calmly as she could.  
  
“Comm channel? You hit the comm channel?” Cora whispered under her breath. Ryder was clutching her stomach.  
  
“I don’t know! I must have done it by accident or something!” Peebee hurriedly whispered back before clearing her throat dramatically.  
  
“Ahem, yep...sure. No problem.” Peebee replied in her usual voice. Lexi wasn’t sure why they were bothering to ‘act natural’, it was pretty obvious what they were doing.  
  
“Hi, Cora.” Ryder managed to say between laughter, which she didn’t bother to hold back any longer. There was silence on the other end for a second.  
  
“...Hi, Ryder.” She heard her second-in-command reply stiffly.  
  
“Have fun.” Ryder added with a grin.  
  
“Thanks, we will.” Peebee answered before she really thought about it.  
  
“Peebee!” Cora hissed.  
  
“What?!” Peebee complained.

Ryder laughed harder. Lexi facepalmed.  


******  


The following morning, Peebee strolled into the medbay for her weekly medical check up, a satisfied grin having never left her face from the moment she got up. The exchange between the two asari had been awkward at first, mainly from Lexi’s perspective. It only grew more awkward as Peebee started to talk about the night before.

“Damn, T’Perro...I mean, I knew she was in great shape but holy crap! How come you never mentioned her _amazing_ abs?” Peebee sighed dreamily as Lexi checked her scans.  
  
“You know I can’t divulge patient information, Peebee.” The doctor muttered under her breath.

“Well at least it was a nice surprise.” Peebee grinned to herself, noticing how tense the poor doctor was from the topic of discussion. With a cocky expression still plastered on her face, Peebee started to ask a question.  
  
“Wanna know how many times I-”  
  
“No, I don’t.” Lexi interjected quickly. Peebee smirked from the blush appearing on Lexi’s face. She respected T’Perro’s wishes...for about ten seconds.  
  
“Six. Six times.” She blurted out before she could help herself, laughing at the doctor’s reaction. She was wrinkling her nose but her face was burning a deep shade of blue.

“I really don’t want to hear this.” She sounded exasperated.  
  
“Oh relax, I’m not asking you to compare notes with me.” Peebee joked.  
  
“What?” Lexi stared at her.  
  
“You know, _compare notes_ ? See who’s better in bed - Cora or Ryder.” The remtech expert explained simply, hopping off the medical bed with an innocent smile.  
  
“Out!” Lexi yelled, motioning to the door with her thumb.  
  
“I’m going, I’m going!” Peebee raised her hands in surrender, quickly retreating from the medbay before Lexi finally lost her patience completely.

Peebee walked towards the research lab, spotting the Pathfinder headed in the opposite direction. With a playful grin, Peebee called to her.

“Hey, Ryder, wanna know how many times I-”  
  
“Six.” Ryder interrupted casually, sipping her coffee as she continued to walk past.

Peebee stared after her in surprise before noticing someone out of the corner of her eye. She looked over and saw Cora smiling behind her own mug of coffee.

She winked at Peebee before disappearing into the bio lab.

**Author's Note:**

> I know the smut was very short, I didn’t want it to become the focus of the story. I might end up doing a pwp fic for them some day. Anyway yeah I hope you enjoyed and if you like the ship why not write something for them too? As usual, I’m in rarepair hell with these two.


End file.
